Writing Podcast Schedule for October 2008

Since Samhain or Halloween is coming soon, I thought it would be nice to offer something on our podcast and blog for those who have loved ones on the Other Side.

The veil between the physical and non-physical worlds is thought to be very thin this time of year and many of us ask the spirits of our deceased loved ones to join us for the evening. For me, it’s like a family reunion of departed souls as we lovingly honor Virginia, Mom-Mom, Pop-Pop, Edmond, Pap, Little Granny, and Uncle Asa. This year, we will add to the list my dear friend and Web guru Jerry McEwen, who was murdered during the holiday hoopla last December.

Trick or treat is actually a spinoff of the tradition of providing food offerings to honor deceased visitors who were welcome to come by their old homestead. Like balloons on a mailbox for a birthday party, candles were lit to let the spirit know where the celebration was being held. Read this article about Samhain, an ancient Celtic holiday for more information.


October 3
Nashville author of The Sage Age—Blending Science with Intuitive Wisdom, MaAnna Stephenson, will be the guest on Writers in the Sky Podcast.

Stephenson is a published composer with airplay in eleven countries. Her advanced education includes attending Jackson State Community College and Lambuth University concurrently, double majoring in music and acoustics with a special apprenticeship at a local recording studio as a sound engineer. She also has a degree in electronics.

Both scientists and those embracing New Age thought will enjoy this book, as well as the wisdom and wit the author shares in our interview. Visit www.SageAge.net for more information and links for purchase.


October 10
Irene Watson, author of The Sitting Swing: Finding Wisdom to Know the Difference was born and raised in a tiny hamlet of Reno in the northern area of the province of Alberta in Canada. Irene wrote about growing up in a semi-abusive home to finally accepting that experience as a path to a spiritual understanding of life.

Irene is the Managing Editor of Reader Views, where avid readers can find reviews of recently published books and interviews with authors. Her team of reviewers carefully reads each book and posts their honest opinions.

Irene Watson's pretentious life could go no further until she faced her past. Her moving and inspiring memoir begins at the end, in a recovery center, where she has gone to understand a childhood fraught with abuse, guilt, and uncertainty. Her powerful story is a testament that it’s never too late to change your life, never too late to heal. The Sitting Swing shows us how guilt, fear, and ignorance are borne by our children. Two distinct parts of the book look at an abusive child-rearing and the process of recovery that takes place years later. On many levels this is a classic story showing us that change, growth, forgiveness, and recovery are possible. It is also a heartwarming, healing story and a testament to the strength and courage of the human spirit. In the end, it gives hope and freedom to those who accept the past and move forward by rewriting life scripts that have been passed down for generations. For more information, please visit http://irenewatson.com/

October 17
We will take a mid-month break from the theme of the spirits to interview Marc Boyajian about his book The Next Falling Empire. Mr. Boyajian is a Syrian-born author who was raised in Lebanon and moved to the United States as a young adult. As someone who always held a deep love for this country, even before having the opportunity to live here, Mr. Boyajian shares his thoughts on steps that must be taken to preserve the American way of life.

Mr. Boyajian provides a road map of policy changes, ranging from issues of health care and education to the Iraq War and our global economy. He discusses each subject in straightforward language with specific solutions. Whether or not you agree with his proposals, you will appreciate the ability of Mr. Boyajian's writing to spark debate. Check out this interview to learn about his prescription for America. For more information about this book, please visit http://outskirtspress.com.


October 24
Carol Denbow will interview me (Yvonne Perry) about my book More Than Meets the Eye, which covers many aspects of the dying and grieving process and sheds light on near-death experience, suicide, euthanasia, and spirit visits after the passing of a loved one.

Carol has experience with South Coast Hospice & Palliative Care in Coos Bay, Oregon. Hospice care is one of the topics in my book, and one that I believe is a concern for many people, who have aging loved ones they need to care for in their final days.

More Than Meets the Eye, True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife, is available for free as a PDF for anyone who subscribes to our free newsletter at writersinthesky.com. Also, I'm running a special on the books I have in my closet. For $10 plus shipping, I will autograph and mail a paperback copy to you. Contact me and give your address and the name of the person to whom you would like the book inscribed.


October 31
Have you had a Near-Death Experience ~ Out-of-Body Experience ~ Spiritually Transformative Experience ~ or other experience that can't be readily explained?

Then, be sure to join Yvonne Perry as she interviews Reverend Juliet Nightingale on Writers in the Sky Podcast.

Because of her NDEs (near-death experiences) and her involvement with the International Association for Near-Death Studies (IANDS), Ms. Nightingale not only pioneered her own radio program, Toward The Light, she also has been interviewed on other radio and television programs and has appeared in numerous print media as well. Juliet is our guest by special request as part of our Samhain (Halloween) celebration this month.

Toward The Light is a special organization that offers an abundance of resources and services that bring nourishment to the soul, inspiration, peace of mind, and a true sense of well-being. They offer near-death studies and support (including a weekly radio show); Reiki & remote healing; psychic, spiritual, grief and motivational counseling as well as books/videos/DVDs on near-death and related topics. We also offer other special products and services for body, mind , and spirit.

Rev. Juliet Nightingale is a facilitator, radio show host, speaker, teacher, medium, and life coach, and is available for public and private speaking engagements. She also conducts seminars covering a wide range of topics. From England, her accent immediately draws people in. And, although a bit shy and reserved, Nightingale holds her audiences spellbound with her 'tell-it-like-it-is' style, then engages the audience in a colorful discussion.

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Author of The Sage Age is Coming to our Writing Podcast

MaAnna Stephenson, author of The Sage Age—Blending Science with Intuitive Wisdom (ISBN: 978-1-933449-63-0) joins me, Yvonne Perry, on Writers in the Sky Podcast this Friday, October 3 to discuss how her expansive new work combines knowledge from the physical sciences and the intuitive arts to present a visionary perspective that harmonizes diverse disciplines into one body of knowledge.

I (Yvonne Perry) had the pleasure of editing this book, and I have to say I've never read anything like it. If you are looking for a feel-good new age book, this is not your book. If you are looking for scientific facts to support some of the reports and finding of the new age community, read on.
Scientists reading this book and wanting to know why energy workers and intuitive practitioners inaccurately use terms such as light, vibration, and aura, will be surprised to learn that there is scientific support for what the intuitive tries to explain by using a spiritual language. It has been confirmed by experiments that show the subtle energies of the aura surrounding all living things hold the key to breakthrough understandings in biology and chemistry. An aura could be the electromagnetic field known to surround all things.

If you are a believer in psychic phenomena, you may be pleased to find that there are scientific terms, theories, and ideas that while they do not support such things as life after death, spiritual dimensions, or the ability to transfer energy, they make it impossible to disprove them.

Some of the greatest breakthroughs in science have come from controversy where one party decides to disprove the other only to find out that the theory they shunned was correct. It could be that their language and terminology was clouded and one term meant something entirely different to the other. Perhaps one called it light and the other called it frequency, but they were both speaking about the same thing.

One party not being able to explain to the other has been a problem between the scientific and new age community for years. Those on the spiritual side have a hard time understanding why everything has to be proven. Where’s the faith in that? they ask. And yet scientists can’t prove some of the things they accept as common truth; things that are now being proven incorrect as new pieces to the mystery of the universe begin to unravel through the exploration of quantum physics, atom smashing with the new large Hadron Collider at CERN, simultaneous dimensions, and string theory.

History and the church have influenced societal beliefs and scientific research. If science attempts to bring forth information that rocks the foundation of religion, it will be fought with tenacity. Just look at how the religious, right wing minority has prevented stem cell research in America. Perhaps in our present age--the sage age--we are better prepared to examine ideas and theories without fear of punishment or rejection. This is the only way to learn the truth about anything—do the research, form a theory, and see if it holds up against the research others are doing.

Psychics or physics? Which is correct? Both and neither—depending upon which side you are on and what terms you use to describe your experience. The author doesn’t lean toward one side or the other. Being both a shamanka (female shaman) and an electronics expert, her expansive new work combines knowledge from the physical sciences and the intuitive arts to present an unbiased perspective that harmonizes these diverse disciplines into one body of knowledge. This book is sure to open the dialog and get both communities talking—hopefully to instead of about one another.

The Sage Age—Blending Science with Intuitive Wisdom was featured in an article on the genre of New Thought in the September 22 issue of Publishers Weekly. The book will also be shown in several upcoming expos including Frankfurt, Germany and five U.S. regional shows.

eBook and Newsletter about Freelance Writing

It's almost time for the October issue of Writers in the Sky Newsletter and we don't want you to miss out on all the articles, announcements, networking opportunities, interviews, and book reviews it contains. Subscribe now! It's free!

You also get an eBook Tips for Freelance Writing as a bonus when your subscription is confirmed.

Annual Literary Awards

The annual literary awards were established to honor writers who self-published or had their books published by a subsidy publisher, small press, university press, or independent book publisher geared for the North American reading audience. POD books are accepted.

Reader Views Literary Awards are open to all authors regardless of residency, however, the books must be published in the English language and targeted for the North American market. Work published by major book publishers, their subsidiaries, or their imprints are not eligible. Books must have 2008 copyright date. Submission for more than one category or more than one title is acceptable. Books that have racist themes will be not be accepted.

Three semi-finalists will be chosen in each fiction and non-fiction category. First and second place winners will be awarded in each category. Third place will receive an honorable mention. One finalist, the top score in each area, will be chosen in each regional and global category. Each will receive a certificate. All certificates and awards stickers will be dated for year 2009.

Aside from general awards, specialized awards will be presented. All books submitted will qualify and be considered for these awards. A jury of judges will make the final decision on awards. Prizes total near $5000.

Copywriters and Freelance Writers Online Seminar

The 2008 Copywriting Success Summit is for existing commercial copywriters who write for businesses and already have a few corporations as clients, but is actively pursuing new opportunities. The online seminar is also for full time freelance writers and those who write on the side.

Here are some of the sessions:

* How to Be a Highly Paid Copywriter as a One-Person Business
* Contact to Contract: Turning Prospects Into Clients!
* Your 60-Minute Marketing Plan
* Becoming the King (or Queen) of the Hill in Your Niche
* How to Gain Exposure Using Social Networking Sites
* Becoming a $125-per-Hour Writer and Beyond
* Making Top Dollar Writing White Papers
* Pricing Your Copywriting Services

The Summit combines the efforts of many thought leaders in the field of business copywriting to provide a unique professional development opportunity. The event will be delivered as a series of 12 virtual presentations over the course of a month in October 2008. The event will also include an exclusive online forum for all participants.

The Copywriting Success Summit 2008 offers professional development opportunity because it will:

• Teach "how to" sell and market copywriting services
• Provide sales and marketing tactics that work
• Offer the opportunity to participate in a live event with the leading business copywriters
• Allow the freelance copywriter to learn from the comfort of his or her home
• Create an opportunity to network with peers

The speakers are Bob Bly, Peter Bowerman, Steve Slaunwhite, Michael Stelzner, Brian Clark, Casey Hibbard, and Jon McCulloch.

For more information, see http://www.copywritingsummit.com

The cost and availability: Ticket prices will be discounted to $397 between Sept. 26th and Oct. 6th ($100 savings).

Author, Speaker, Entrepreneur, Dennis Snow on WITS

Here's comes Mickey Mouse!

Okay, I'm joking!

Dennis Snow is not Mickey Mouse! But, he did work for the mouse's company, better known as Walt Disney World Company. He comes to Writers in the Sky Podcast today to share his experience and his book Lessons from the Mouse: A Guide for Applying Disney World’s Secrets of Success to Your Organization, Your Career, and Your Life as he is interviewed by Sarah Moore--the podcast coordinator and author's assistant for WITS.

What was meant to be a fun summer job as a teenager turned into a lifelong career for Dennis Snow. Beginning as a humble Captain Nemo character at the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea attraction, Mr. Snow soon earned positions in management and gathered more than twenty years of invaluable experience with the Walt Disney World Company. He now brings his knowledge to speaking and consulting work around the world. Organizations as varied as Blockbuster Video, Florida State University, and Johns Hopkins Hospital are regular clients who benefit from his customer service expertise.

Click here to listen to Part One...

Dennis Snow was raised in South Burlington, Vermont, but has called Florida home ever since he drove his car south on I-95 at the age of nineteen. While Dennis certainly learned from his work as an attractions operator and then as a teacher of corporate philosophy and business practices to cast members at Disney University, he credits his time with the Disney Institute for introducing him to the world of consulting and speaking. At the Disney Institute, Dennis worked with global companies such as Coca Cola and Exxon and led a division that became the fastest growing venture of the organization.

In his last year with Walt Disney World, the leadership performance demonstrated by Dennis earned him a ranking in the top 3 percent of the company’s leadership team. He used these developed strengths to start his own business, Snow & Associates, through which he has been able to partner his business skills with the passion that he has for speaking and helping organizations achieve great success.

Dennis has a commitment to outstanding customer service that he brings to the more than 25,000 people he reaches through his speaking engagements every year. Already the author of the best-selling book Unleashing Excellence: The Complete Guide to Ultimate Customer Services, Dennis Snow is now releasing Lessons from the Mouse: A Guide for Applying Disney World’s Secrets of Success to Your Organization, Your Career, and Your Life. Like its predecessor, this book is certain to be used by organizations of all types in training employees to reach new levels of customer service.

Click here to listen to Part Two...


Book Synopsis:

Lessons from the Mouse is an ideal text for any business looking to improve its customer service approach and the sense of professional investment felt by its employees. Written by Dennis Snow, a speaker and consultant who spent twenty years with the Walt Disney Company, this book presents ten lessons in business organization that Disney has practiced to near perfection. Each chapter develops a specific lesson with relevant examples from diverse industries and discussion questions to generate in-depth conversations among employees.

As our society becomes more automated and impersonal in every transaction, Dennis Snow reminds his readers that finely-crafted customer service is still appreciated and often makes the difference in how far an organization can go in reaching its goalposts for success.

Among the concepts that are included in Lessons from the Mouse, readers will learn that

• Customers want to see a clean and organized environment (never let “backstage” come “onstage”)
• Smiles and eye contact create a better experience for everyone
• Employees need to treat one another as customers to improve the congeniality and effectiveness of the work setting
• There is no excuse not to learn everything possible about your current position and the job you hope to achieve.
• Sometimes, replacing an ice cream cone makes all the difference!

Dennis uses the humor and passion that makes him the featured speaker at over 100 events every year, as well as two decades of first-hand experience with Disney, to create in Lessons from the Mouse a book that stands out from other books of a similar topic that are available on the market today.

Learn more or purchase the book at http://www.lessonsfromthemouse.com/

Greetings Writers and Authors!

Have you joined A Book Inside Forum yet? Chat with other writers and authors. Learn from each other how to write a book, find a publisher or self-publish, and sell your story!

We have some wonderful upcoming interviews on A Book Inside Blog with well known experts in the writing and publishing field. It’s free and fun!

Writer's and Authors, Promote Your Book Early!

By Carol Denbow

Wait, hold on! Don’t leave just because you think this post topic doesn’t apply to you. So you haven’t published your book yet? Well this may be news to you; book marketing begins the day you begin to write! That’s correct, the very day you pick up the pen!

One of the biggest mistakes writers make is to wait until the day their book hits the stands to being their promotion efforts. Book promotion should begin at least six months before your book hits the stands and continue for at least three years to follow—especially in this new world of Internet marketing and sales. With it we have the ability to promote our book literally everywhere on this planet. It has been predicted that eighty percent of book purchasing will take place through the Internet by the year 2020. Personally, from the trend I’ve noticed recently, I feel it will be even sooner yet. Amazon.com is one of the best book-selling sites on the Internet and has expanded to include Joya Amazon.cn (Chinese), Amazon.fr (French), Amazon.de (German), and Amazon.co.jp (Japanese). Barnes & Noble booksellers online have followed suit with international sales. Their brick and mortar book stores now stock foreign publications as well, including Vogue Magazine in four different languages.

To gain world-wide exposure for a book, authors need to start early. The Internet is an interesting place. It’s like mold—it grows and expands slowly. It can take months, even years for one promotional article to reach its full audience potential.

So get out there now! Even if you’ve just started your manuscript—promote it! You’ll be surprised how well your book sells “hot off the press!”

Carol Denbow is the author of three books, including A Book Inside, How to Write, Publish, and Sell Your Story which includes 25 Unique Ways to Sell Your Story. Visit Carol’s Website at http://www.BooksByDenbow.Weebly.com

Lessons from the Mouse: A Guide for Applying Disney World's Secrets of Success to Your Organization, Your Career, and Your Life

Dennis Snow will be the guest on this week's podcast. He will be interviewed by Sarah Moore, the podcast coordinator and author's assistant for Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services. The following book review was written by Sarah as part of Dennis' press kit.

Be sure to listen to the interview this Friday on Writers in the Sky blog.

Lessons from the Mouse: A Guide for Applying Disney World’s Secrets of Success to Your Organization, Your Career, and Your Life
Author: Dennis Snow
ISBN-13: 978-1-932021-29-5
Publisher: DC Press (2008)
Genre: business, customer service, training
Pages: 134
Reviewed by Sarah Moore for Writers in the Sky (8/08)

When families visit Disney World, their attention is focused on the majesty of Cinderella’s castle, the cultural experiences available at EPCOT Center, and the kids’ eager dash to hug Mickey Mouse as he walks down Main Street. Guests can forget that Disney World is an intricate corporation employing thousands of people who must pay attention to every detail of the park’s operation. Without fanatical focus on customer satisfaction and an organized business model, Disney World could not be the fantasy destination for millions of tourists every year. In his new book, Lessons from the Mouse, Dennis Snow shares his experiences as a former Disney manager and trainer. Along the way, he provides the readers with wonderful advice that can be applied to any business or organization.

Snow develops each chapter of his book to serve perfectly as a training session for staff meetings or corporate conferences. Each lesson presented by the author begins with a memorable heading, my favorite being Lesson 3 and “What Time is the Three O’Clock Parade? is Not a Stupid Question.” (Read the lesson and you will learn that the questioner really wants to know when a parade will reach his particular vantage point.) Snow usually then dives right into specific examples from personal employment experiences at Disney World. In one chapter, the introductory story may be the way in which Snow delicately shared the bad news that Space Mountain was closed for repairs while another lesson may begin with the reminder he received from a guest to smile when doing his job. Snow also makes a point to take the lesson of each chapter and extend it beyond its Walt Disney World roots. Usually though the clear layout of bulleted points, Snow shares how his lessons can be applied to airlines, hospitals, sandwich shops, collection agencies, and many other industries. Finally, Snow ends each lesson with a distinct set of questions which members of any organization can discuss in order to apply the key points of the chapter to their specific needs.

Snow has an engaging and conversational tone to his writing. I easily can picture him leading a discussion in an auditorium filled with professionals. Therefore, I was not surprised to learn that Snow maintains a schedule of over one hundred speaking engagements every year. Readers quickly will quickly sense the passion that Snow has for superior customer service and the effect that it can have on the success for any organization. As someone who often laments the lack of common courtesy amongst one another in public settings and the seemingly increasing absence of work ethic in our service industry, I found myself nodding in agreement with each piece of advice made by Snow in this book. The lessons should be common-sense essentials for a successful business but, as Snow the author indicates through his examples, a basic discussion of these customer service details is long overdue in both boardrooms and break rooms.

Prospective readers should not be turned off by an assumption that Lessons from the Mouse is simply yet another self-help training manual for those in the business world. While the lessons are undoubtedly important to prospective corporate leaders, Snow’s approachable style keeps the context engaging and relevant for any reader. I found myself relating to many scenarios described by Snow, if only from the perspective of a customer. Haven’t we all gotten frustrated when a cashier cannot be bothered to stop her personal conversation while ringing up your groceries or we cannot place our trash in a fast food restaurant’s bins because they are already overflowing? If you have left the house and interacted with a fellow human who is somehow employed in a service capacity, you will be able to relate to this book. And, perhaps you will be challenged to think about how your own attitude may be affecting the quality of your outcomes.

What can you learn from a mouse? When that mouse has been delighting and entertaining hundreds of millions of people for decades, – it turns out there is plenty to learn. Readers of any professional background will appreciate and enjoy the advice dispensed by Dennis Snow in Lessons from the Mouse. As a consumer, after reading this book I immediately took notice of the level of customer service I received from local businesses and recognized its impact on my overall satisfaction. Concerning my own work, I am now consciously striving to apply every lesson to my communication with clients. I am confident that each reader will find unique ways to use Lessons from a Mouse in their own lives. Whether you are a physician or a mechanic or a cotton candy vendor at Disney World, Mr. Snow’s book is filled with relevant material and should be a must-read for new employees in any field.

How to Become a Freelance Writer

I'm doing something unusual today. I am going to be a guest on my own show!

You may be wondering how I'm going to pull that one off, but rest assured, I am a bi-location expert with a split personality. Just kidding!

I am actually offering a show that was recorded May 22, 2008 on Blog Talk Radio when I was the guest of Lillian Brummet on her show Conscious Discussions. I enjoyed talking with Lillian that day and since I'm always getting inquiries about how to become a freelance writer, I thought it would be helpful to simply put this information out there for everyone.

Click here to listen to the interview on freelance writing...

I might also mention that she is looking for authors and people to interview on her show. You may contact her about being a guest or listen to Lillian’s other informative shows about a wide variety of other topics at blogtalkradio.com/ConsciousDiscussions

Today's show is about 45 minutes long. In it, I will share some inside information about Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services and answer these questions:

How did you discovered you might have a marketable writing talent?

Please define the term “freelance writer” and what this involves.

What are the most common challenges that a freelance writer faces?

Please share some behind the scenes information on how you manage the scheduling, marketing, and the record keeping end of things in the office.

What are some common misconceptions or preconceived ideas about the world of writing?

Let’s discuss the life of an author. What do you face as an author that is different from what a freelance writer faces?

Your newsletter deals with a lot of these issues and more. Would you like to tell our listeners about the newsletter?

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Listening to Writers in the Sky Podcast on a computer is easy. Just click this link: http://yvonneperry.blogspot.com// and go to my blog.On the right sidebar there is a list of archived shows. Click on the interview you would like to hear and it will open a post that has a link to the audio file.

Have you thought of hosting your own podcast? It's easy. Learn how at http://nashvillewriter.audioacrobat.com/

Are You Utilizing Social Networking?

Find Yvonne Perry and Writers in the Sky (WITS) online:

WITS Website: http://www.writersinthesky.com
WITS Blog: http://www.writersintheskyblog.com/
MySpace
Facebook
LinkedIn
Twitter
EzineArticles
Blog Talk Radio
Book on Death & Afterlife
Book Marketing Online Promotion eBook

A Book Inside, How to Write, Publish, and Sell Your Story

Today we are hosting an interview with author Carol Denbow. She is here to talk about her new book, “A Book Inside, How to Write, Publish, and Sell Your Story.”

Yvonne Perry: Is this your first book?
Carol Denbow: No, it’s my third release. My first book, Are You Ready to Be Your Own Boss? was released in 2006. Then after a two year gap, I’ve had two new books released in just the past three months. This one, A Book Inside, which I self-published, and Stress Relief for the Working Stiff: How to Reverse the Embalming Effect, which was published by Publish America.

Yvonne: So you’ve self-published and been traditionally published?
Carol Denbow: Yes.

Yvonne: Do you recommend self-publishing a book?
Carol Denbow: Well, there are advantages that go along with traditional publishing, primarily, the cost—there really isn’t much when compared to self-publishing. But you do give up a considerable amount of control in exchange. For instance, I genuinely dislike the cover that was designed for my book, Stress Relief for the Working Stiff. I don’t feel it represents the contents of the book as well as the title being difficult to read from any reasonable distance. To me, this breaks the first rules of a good book cover design. But regardless of my efforts to change it, I have a contract with the publisher, and that is concrete. So even though it’s my book, I lose the power and control I would have had I self-published the book. Because of these things, I prefer to self-publish.

When you self-publish a book, and here I’m excluding print-on-demand publishing, you maintain complete control, but, in turn all expenses and a lot of work falls on your plate. Self-publishing requires an enormous commitment to what can equal years of preparation. After spending what may seem like endless hours writing your manuscript, there will be many more devoted to editing, layout, cover design, finding a reliable printer, marketing, and promotion. But of course, when you do-it-yourself, all profits are yours to keep.

Print-on-demand publishing is when you pay a publishing house to do a considerable amount of the work for you and make your book available to most buyers. But with POD publishing you still have to pay for copies of your own book. Also, your book is rarely “returnable” by retailers such as Barnes & Noble, so they are reluctant to order it, limiting your sales market.

Publishing options are something each individual author must choose according to their personal needs and expectations. For me, yes, I prefer to go all the way and self-publish on my own.

Yvonne: So does A Book Inside, How to Write, Publish, and Sell Your Story teach new writers how to self-publish their books?
Carol Denbow: Absolutely. But it is the writers’ choice of which publishing method they personally prefer or suits them best. The book explains all methods of getting published, including Print on Demand. That way, the reader can weigh the differences prior to making their choice. Once they decide what’s right for them, they can follow the step-by-step instruction and use the references to locate the resources they need.

Yvonne: For such a small book, A Book Inside contains an incredible amount of resources. Where did you find these?
Carol Denbow: Research, research, and more research—about three years of it

Yvonne: I like the way you get your message across in all your books. I found them to be really easy to follow. Did you plan the books to be this way?
Carol Denbow: I hate to admit this, but I’m not a reader. In fact, I’ve read very few books cover-to-cover. I’m sure it’s just me personally, but when I pick up a book for the sake of learning something, or to better myself, I don’t want to read a lot of unnecessary “filler” text. So when I write, I create a simple outline of the lesson and then fill in the blanks with the most valuable information I can find. I don’t like books which are loaded with repetitive information. If you teach the lesson once and position it in the text to make it easy to find again, you won’t have to repeat yourself. Basically, my books have all the information “needed” and not the mumbo jumbo extras.

Yvonne: Many of the writers I work with self-publish their books; do you think a marketing plan is necessary for self-published authors?
Carol Denbow: If I said no, I’d be shot dead! Writing is a business and as with any business, you need to have a plan. There is no point in writing and publishing a book unless it will sell. Since more than seventy-five percent of books are self-published, I would like to direct this answer to those. On average, a self-published book sells only 120 copies. Are these statistics from published authors who lacked a good marketing plan? Absolutely!

I’d like to point out as well that book marketing is an ongoing effort. A new release can take up to three years to show signs of success. Some authors give up long before their book has the opportunity to really “get out there.” My first book, Are You Ready to Be Your Own Boss? was released back in September of 2006, but didn’t evolve into what I would consider a “successful” book until early this year. It takes a good and ongoing plan with aggressive and unique ideas to properly market a book.

Yvonne: So where can we find your books and do you have a Web site?
Carol Denbow: All my books are available through Amazon.com as well as through my Website at http://www.booksbydenbow.weebly.com/. I also have a great blog for new and seasoned writers at http://abookinside.blogspot.com/. To see where by book tour is taking me this year, readers can visit my Website.

Yvonne: Thanks for stopping by and sharing this information with us!
Carol Denbow: Yvonne, it is absolutely my pleasure and may I add in a final note, thank you for all you do to help writers and published authors find success in their journeys.

Conscious Discussions

Yvonne Perry's interview on Conscious Discussions with Lillian Brummet will be on Writers in the Sky Podcast September 19, 2008!

We will be running Yvonne Perry’s interview on Conscious Discussions with Lillian Brummet (http://www.blogtalkradio.com/ConsciousDiscussions), on the business aspect of freelance writing. Lillian is a radio talk show host and is an environmentalist, successful author, and businesswoman. Yvonne is an author, experienced freelance writer and editor, who operates a writing and editing business, publishes a newsletter, manages a blog, and provides a podcast for authors.

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Listening to Writers in the Sky Podcast on a computer is easy. Just click this link: http://yvonneperry.blogspot.com/ and go to my blog.On the right sidebar there is a list of archived shows. Click on the interview you would like to hear and it will open a post that has a link to the audio file.

Have you thought of hosting your own podcast? It's easy. Learn how at http://nashvillewriter.audioacrobat.com/

Interactive eBook about Marketing Books Online

My new eBook Book Marketing in the Digital Age, Online Promotion Made Easy is nearing completion and will be available sometime toward the end of October.

While working on the book, it dawned on me that I needed to update my Web site in order to not only show examples of the techniques being explained, but to actually be utilizing SEO (search engine optimization) on my site. That required a complete overhaul since many of the pages had dual purposes and did not focus on just one topic. As you will learn in my eBook, this is important for attracting targeted visitors to your site.

Our new URL will be www.writersinthesky.com so please be sure to bookmark or change it in your favorites.

Frankie, the Walk 'N Roll Dog to Help West Virginia Dachshunds Rescued in Puppy Mill Bust

Frankie, the Walk ‘N Roll Dog and her mom, Barbara Techel will be donating a percent of book sales for the month of September to Dachshund Rescue of North America (www.drna.com). DRNA has taken in 138 dachshunds from nearly 1,000 dogs (mostly dachshunds) rescued from West Virginia’s largest puppy mill bust in history.

A story from The Washington Post wrote, (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/08/28/ST2008082804006.html) “Frankie's eyes drooped with fatigue. With grimy fur and nails a half-inch long, he wobbled on his paws after apparently spending most of his life in a wire cage in a West Virginia puppy mill.” Barbara said, “My heart is so heavy with sorrow when I read about Frankie and what he has had to endure. My Frankie and I just have to reach out to try and help.”

Frankie, the Walk ‘N Roll Dog teaches compassion and overcoming challenges through her story and compassion is what all these dogs need now more than anything…. And our help, whether through donations, adoption or helping with transports. If you know of anyone looking for a gift for their children or grandchildren, for birthdays or the holidays, Frankie’s book is one of the best life lessons you can teach your little ones. At the same time you will be instilling in them what compassion is all about by having a portion of your book sale donated to the dachshunds that desperately need our help right now.

To purchase a copy of Frankie, the Walk ‘N Roll Dog, please visit www.joyfulpaws.com. Together, furry friends and humans, we can make a loving, compassionate difference.

Author Linda Ballou Discusses Wai-nani High Chiefess of Hawaii

TGI Friday! I have uploaded a new show to my podcast this week. Linda Ballou will be joining Barbara Milbourn today on Writers in the Sky Podcast!

Barbara Milbourn served as copy editor and proofreader for Linda Ballou’s book Wai-nani: High Chiefess of Hawai’i. Barbara and Linda will discuss the writing process of the book, its content, and briefly how an author works with an editor. Wai-nani is an historical novel couched in magical realism set in pre-contact Hawai’i. Wai-nani’s character is inspired by the favorite wife of Kamehameha the Great, who was responsible for ending the 2,000-year-old Polynesian kapu system.

Click here to listen to this interview...

Linda Ballou is an author and businesswoman who did it right. Careful and diligent at every turn, she began by living there—experiencing it first-hand—and went on to years of careful and voluminous research of the period and place, people and language, plants and land and sea. Then she willed her poetic travel writing talent to pull it together and bring it back to life. In her thinking place, she sat with it and when she was ready to bring it out of her drawer she went on the hunt for the right editor, the right publisher, the right illustrator. That team in place, and the work nearly complete, and knowing the job wasn’t done yet, the ultimate businesswoman went to work on marketing. The book was released in June, and the business of it goes on.

*******************************

Listening to Writers in the Sky Podcast on a computer is easy. Just click this link: http://yvonneperry.blogspot.com/ and go to my blog.On the right sidebar there is a list of archived shows. Click on the interview you would like to hear and it will open a post that has a link to the audio file.

Have you thought of hosting your own podcast? It's easy. Learn how at http://nashvillewriter.audioacrobat.com/

Recipes and More from a Bygone Era

Recipes and More from a Bygone Era
Compiled by: Betty MacKulaski
ISBN: 978-0-9819172-2-1
Publisher: Published by Westview, Inc. (2008)
Genre: historical documents, cookbook, education
Reviewed by Sarah Moore for Writers in the Sky (8/08)

I was asked to write a review of a book in which the only original writing by the woman whose name is printed on the front is the introduction. Beyond that, the book contains dozens of scanned recipes first written by a homemaker around a century ago. At first glance, such a task seemed nearly impossible. How do I critique “Add ½ cup of butter and stir until frothy”? Do I write, “Surely that woman must have realized the effect such an ingredient would have on her cholesterol?” Or, perhaps I could compliment the quality of her penmanship. After spending just a few minutes reading the pieces of history found in Recipes and More from a Bygone Era, however, I realized what a precious piece of crafted love I had in my hands.

So much of our family history is made in the kitchen. Generations of (mostly) women have gathered around the stove to pass down recipes and family history. In Recipes and More from a Bygone Era, Betty MacKulaski shares a cookbook that she discovered tucked away in an old bread box at an Illinois antique store. While the exact date of the book’s creation is not known, the glimpse into menus that were prepared before microwaves and drive-thru windows is fascinating. The homemaker who created this book so many years ago (my guess is very early 20th century) obviously put countless hours into making it a treasured keepsake, even if it was only intended for her own use. Not only are there the expected handwritten recipes on pieces of lined paper, but also related pictures and articles clipped from magazines that add to the reader’s enjoyment.

I particularly enjoyed the insights into this woman’s personality offered by her recipe scrapbook. For example, in preparation for the baking of an Old Time Pumpkin Pie, she instructs, “First you wash your face and then your hands. Put on your cook apron and get your stew pan.” She then goes to explain the entire cooking process in the form of a poem … what a great way to teach a recipe to young people! She also shows a sense of humor by cutting out drawing of pigs to surround her favorite ham recipes and finding pictures of women in high fashion magazines and inserting them in a decidedly unglamorous kitchen setting.

As a former history teacher, I embraced the rich primary source to be found on every page of this book. There are clipped drawings of women who have hair carelessly swept up and who are wearing simple checked dresses as they diligently stir the contents of a bowl. The smile on the face of the happy homemaker was a crucial accessory. There are the intricate recipes for creating jellies and jams, as well as homemade candies, for which time is rarely made in our modern kitchen. She also includes several articles that had little or nothing to do with the art of cooking. I learned how to “reduce flesh about the hips” (comforting to know this has been a problem throughout the generations), stop nose bleeds, and use water enriched with bran on my nice wood work. Like reading the Declaration of Independence or the journals of a Civil War soldier, cookbooks such as the one preserved by Ms. MacKulaski provide us a window into another time that never can be captured in a textbook.

We cannot be certain if the woman who put together this cookbook enjoyed the daily need to feed her family. Maybe she loved every minute of being a homemaker and felt blessed to have the opportunity to care for a family. Or, perhaps she dreaded the repeated dinner preparations and would stare out the window thinking about other opportunities the world had to offer.

Either way, I absolutely loved the way in which she found joy in her work. By putting recipes to rhyme, pasting amusing cartoons involving the animals she was cooking, or simply including pictures in the margin to make her own use of the cookbook more enjoyable, this woman kept her duties fresh and personal. I felt connected to her as I read through the recipes and hints (sometimes helpful, sometimes amusingly sarcastic) on each page, and was reminded of the need to embrace the fun of any situation.

I share Betty MacKulaski’s love of antique stores and unexpected insights into the lives of “ordinary people” from a previous time. Without even trying any of the recipes (yet!), Recipes and More from a Bygone Era already has become an important part of my book collection. I feel as if I got some insight on this anonymous woman and I really think I would have liked her. I certainly hope that Ms. MacKulaski will take the time to publish any future treasures that she discovers during her hunts. I know that I will pour over each new page with the fascination that I know she did upon opening that bread box.

Interview with Yvonne Perry

On August 21st, 2008, Irene Watson and Victor R. Volkman spoke with Yvonne Perry of Writers In The Sky about the subject of freelance writing and how to get started in this rewarding field. She and her team provide ghostwriting and editing companies and individuals. Yvonne shared with us many insights as an entrepreneur and owner of a smallbusiness that does a variety of freelance writing assignments. Specifically, how to get started as a freelancer, the most common challenges you will face, typical misconceptions about the process, writing successful query letters, and how to be a ghost writer.

Download the f-ree podcast at http://authorsaccess.com/archives/109 Subscribe to our bi-weekly podcast at http://authorsaccess.com/feed

The Lowdown on Finding the Perfect Keywords

Copyright © 2008 Penny C. Sansevieri

Whenever I teach a class on Internet marketing, it's inevitable that the term "keyword" comes up. Keywords tend to confuse people, mostly because there are numerous ways of figuring them out; not all of them are correct. Let me explain.

When we think of keywords related to our topic, we often go to "root" keywords or, in layman's terms: the first word that pops into our mind. For example, if someone were to say: "Give me a keyword for books" you might say: "publishing." That's a root keyword. It may seem like the right word to you, but it may not be a word that your reader or customer is searching on. Therein lies the key. You want to find relevant keywords in your market that people are actually searching for. Another example of this is the word: auto loan. If you've written a book on saving money you may think that drawing attention to your chapter on getting the best auto loan is a great idea. But what if your consumer searches on the term: car loan instead? Your keyword (auto loan) will go unnoticed.

There are some commonalities in keywords; for example, the best keywords have a strong relevance to your topic and a high search volume. What this means is that as you're trying to get away from 'root' words, you don't want to get uber-creative and use words no one is searching on. The other piece to remember is the age-old marketing term: supply and demand. Whatever your search term you want to make sure that there's a lot of demand, but very little supply.

If you're ready to start your search, here are a few links that should help you. The first is the Google Adwords keyword search tool. What this tool will show you is a general overview of how popular a word is vs. how much supply there is for this word. While this site doesn't give you actual search numbers, it's a pretty thorough overview of search patterns: https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal

The second is a version of Overture.com (more on that in a minute) that will show you how many searches have happened across Yahoo and MSN for a particular search term in the last 30 days: http://www.yooter.com/keyword/overture.php

Finally we have Overture. While this site will give you actual data, the numbers they give you aren't updated daily, in fact they're not even updated monthly. Some of the stats you see will be three or more months old. But data is data and unless you're sitting in a market that has heavy fluctuation, this should give you a good start: http://inventory.overture.com/

Now that you've zeroed in on your perfect keywords, where will you use them? Well, adding them to your web site copy is a great idea but the *ideal* place to use these is in your press release. Why? Because it's likely that you're sending your press release out online (if you're not, you should be) and with all the clutter on the 'Net you'll need these keywords to get noticed. Here's a quick rundown of where and how you should use them:

· Use these words in the headline and first 50 words of your release
· Keep your release to no more than 600 words
· Use keywords for hyperlinking: what I mean by this is that anytime you link to a page on your site or some other external reference, you'll want to use these keywords to help increase exposure to your press release.

In order to maximize what you're doing online, you've got to become very focused on your market and what your market wants. Figuring out the keywords and search terms your readers/consumers use will go a long way toward helping your message rise above the noise!

Penny C. Sansevieri, CEO and founder of Author Marketing Experts, Inc., is a best-selling author and internationally recognized book marketing and media relations expert. Her company is one of the leaders in the publishing industry and has developed some of the most cutting-edge book marketing campaigns. She is the author of five books, including Book to Bestseller which has been called the "road map to publishing success". To learn more about her books or her promotional services, you can visit her web site at www.amarketingexpert.com. To subscribe to her free ezine, send a blank email to: mailto:subscribe@amarketingexpert.com.

Wai-nani: High Chiefess of Hawai'i

Linda Ballou will be joining Barbara Milbourn on Writers in the Sky Podcast September 12, 2008!

Barbara Milbourn served as copy editor and proofreader for Linda Ballou’s book Wai-nani: High Chiefess of Hawai’i. Barbara and Linda will discuss the writing process of the book, its content, and briefly how an author works with an editor. Wai-nani is an historical novel couched in magical realism set in pre-contact Hawai’i. Wai-nani’s character is inspired by the favorite wife of Kamehameha the Great, who was responsible for ending the 2,000-year-old Polynesian kapu system. Linda Ballou is an author and businesswoman who did it right. Careful and diligent at every turn, she began by living there—experiencing it first-hand—and went on to years of careful and voluminous research of the period and place, people and language, plants and land and sea. Then she willed her poetic travel writing talent to pull it together and bring it back to life. In her thinking place, she sat with it and when she was ready to bring it out of her drawer she went on the hunt for the right editor, the right publisher, the right illustrator. That team in place, and the work nearly complete, and knowing the job wasn’t done yet, the ultimate businesswoman went to work on marketing. The book was released in June, and the business of it goes on.

*******************************

Listening to Writers in the Sky Podcast on a computer is easy. Just click this link: http://yvonneperry.blogspot.com and go to my blog.On the right sidebar there is a list of archived shows. Click on the interview you would like to hear and it will open a post that has a link to the audio file.

Have you thought of hosting your own podcast? It's easy. Learn how at http://nashvillewriter.audioacrobat.com/

Querying a Magazine Lands a Writing Assignment for Joe Nolan

Writers in the Sky team member, Joe Nolan, shares a bio he wrote about Otis Redding for a magazine called Culture Grits. He became involved with Culture Grits when he answered an online ad looking for writers for a new culture magazine about Memphis, Tennessee. Joe queried the publisher and suggested a series on the history of Memphis soul music. Much to his delight, she was excited by the idea.

“This opportunity allowed me to be a part of the founding of this online publication, one that has evolved into a shiny new site, with advertiser support and a bunch of new content,” says Joe. “This is one of the reasons why beginning writers should sometimes do work for free or less than they would normally accept. If it means writing about a fascinating subject, and working with great folks on a wonderful project, the effort can really pay off.”

Here is the article/bio Joe wrote for the magazine:


Soul Series: The Man from Macon - The Otis Redding Story Part I
by Joe Nolan of Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services

Otis Redding
Born on September 9, 1941 in Dawson, Ga., Otis Redding and family moved 300 miles north to Macon when he was three years old. Unlike many cities in the Peachtree State, Macon had been spared the ravages of Sherman’s march to the sea during the Civil War. However, by 1944, Macon showed the scars of the quieter cruelty of stalled urban renewal, and the impact of 30 years of the Great Migration, in which large sectors of the South’s African American population left their homes for economic opportunities in cities like Detroit and Chicago. The decaying downtown facades, and the old men sitting on the steps of the abandoned railway station, spoke to the lost promise of a city where “progress” had simply marched past.

Upon their arrival in Macon, the Redding’s made a new home for themselves in the Tindall Heights Housing Project in West Macon. Officially known as Bellview, the residents at the Project all referred to their neglected neighborhood as “Hellview.” Otis’ father, Otis senior, like many black men in the neighborhood, worked at the nearby Robbins Air Force Base. However, due to a chronic battle with tuberculosis, Otis senior was an inconsistent provider. During one prosperous period, the family—including Otis’ mother, Fanny, his baby brother, Rodgers, and four sisters—was able to purchase a humble home of their own. However, after a devastating fire, the family found themselves moving back into the Projects at “Hellview.”

By the time Otis reached the tenth grade, the pressure on the family had become so great that he decided to drop out of high school in hopes of helping to support his siblings.

“My father was ill, he had TB, and he was in the hospital more than he was home; my mother was working, and it was just a burden. I can remember when Otis left school he went out on the road with Little Richard’s old band, the Upsetters, and he would send home twenty-five dollars a week. That was a lot of money in those days. - Rodgers Redding, from Sweet Soul Music by Peter Guralnick

However, Otis soon found that the path of a musical artist is strewn with many stones, and he had to find other means of making a living when he couldn’t find a club gig or a road job. As a teenage dropout, he took whatever work he could find. He spent a stretch working around rural Georgia with a well-digger. He also ground out a paycheck as an attendant at various gas stations. But no matter how he busied his body earning his daily bread, Redding’s mind was always restless and preoccupied with thoughts about music.

Sources:
Peter Guralnick’s Sweet Soul Music, Harper and Row, 1986
James Dickerson’s Goin’ Back to Memphis, Simon and Schuster Macmillan, 1996
Michael Haralambos’ Right on: From Blues to Soul in Black America, Drake Publishers, 1975
Respect Yourself: The Stax Story, documentary film, produced by Tremolo Productions,
Concord Music Group and Thirteen/WNET New York, for PBS’ Great Performances, 2007
The Otis Redding biography at African Genesis
Otis Redding at Wikipedia
Otis Redding Biography at History of Rock
Otis Redding Biography at the Otis Redding official website

Joe Nolan is a poet, musician, and freelance journalist in Nashville, TN. Nolan writes about visual art for the journal, Number, published by the University of Memphis. Find out more about his projects at www.joenolan.com.

Types of Editing and Proofreading

Substantive editing, copy editing, and proofreading are terms we really need to define for authors. Many writers don't know that there are different types of editing levels. Feel free to chime in on this discussion by leaving comments.

Developmental or Substantial Editing
This editing service is used to coach or guide an author’s work to the next level by offering suggestions for improvement. We not only mark errors in the text, we assist you with making changes to strengthen your writing and develop your story or manuscript to its best potential. A developmental editor may rewrite some sections for you. We work with you on all elements of book development including front matter, back matter, and strengthening your writing.

Medium Copyediting
Our editor will go through your manuscript and complete the needed changes to include:

• Correcting mechanical, grammar, and usage errors.
• Correcting spelling, punctuation, and grammar.
• Check for proper alignment and spacing of text. 
• Mark and ask author to consistently format dates, headlines, numbers, and alphabetized, bulleted, and numbered lists.
• Note awkward transitions, redundancies, and hyperbole.
• Note any biased language or stereotyping.

The editor may query the author to clarify suggestions for improvement, and ask the author to rewrite some sections. We do not rewrite for you at this level of edit. We will proofread the entire document one time after the author has accepted or rejected all changes and returned to us a near-perfect document.

Light Copy Edit
We will mark or note the same things as outlined in the medium copy edit; however, the author is responsible for making all changes. We will proofread the entire document a second time after the author has accepted or rejected all changes and returned to us a near-perfect document.

Proofreading
Proofreader marks all technical errors and returns manuscript to the author as a digital document. The author is responsible for completing the suggested changes. 

Book Evaluation
One of our editors will read your book or manuscript (up to 70,000 words) and give a written assessment of its commercial potential. A kind but honest opinion of the author's strengths and weaknesses will be given along with tips for improving the overall quality of writing. The evaluation includes an assessment of the manuscript's publishing condition and what it would take to get it ready to submit to an agent or publisher.

Tips for Correcting Common Mistakes in a Book Manuscript

For those writers who plan to have a book published, I can only hope that your manuscript will go through a thorough edit before it is printed. That is especially important for those who self-publish or use publish-on-demand services to bring their book to market. These methods usually do not require or offer editing services to catch mistakes that can cost you credibility as an author.

As an editor for individual authors as well as working as a contracted editor for two publishers, I’ve seen many grammatical or mechanical errors in manuscripts.

I’ll share a few of the more common mistakes in hopes that you might avoid these pitfalls.

Please note that Associated Press (AP) style is commonly used for journalistic works such as newspapers and Web text. The examples I am going to use are from Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) published by the University of Chicago Press. It is one of the most respected and trustworthy guidelines for literary works such as books.

1. A very common error in many of the books I edit or proofread occurs in the title, headers, and subheaders. The Chicago Manual of Style 7.127 states: In regular title capitalization, also known as headline style, the first and last words and all nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, and subordinating conjunctions (if, because, as, that, etc.) are capitalized. Articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, for, nor), and prepositions, regardless of length, are lowercase unless they are the first or last word of the title or subtitle.

2. A book is not entitled (meaning deserving, allowed, permitted); it is titled (meaning to have a title, label, or name).

3. The titles of books, record albums, movies, TV shows, and screenplays should be in italic type. Do not use “quotation” marks. Do not underline these titles unless you are formatting them for a bibliography. However, article titles and poem and song titles do go inside quotation marks.

4. Unless a word is an acronym, it should not be in ALL CAPS. Use italics for emphasis.

5. OK should be spelled out: okay.

6. ISBN is the acronym for International Standard Book Number. To write “ISBN number” is the same as stating International Standard Book Number number. It is redundant to use the word “number” or the pound symbol (#) after ISBN.

7. Percent symbols (%) should be spelled out “percent” unless used in a chart or table. Numbers followed by a percent should be in numeric form. Example: 91 percent. However, if a percentage is the first word of a sentence in a literary work, it should be spelled out. Example: Ninety-one percent of the students passed the test.

8. Use one space (not two) after a period, question mark, colon, or semi-colon. This is quite the opposite of what we were taught in typing class way back when! It can be a hard habit to break.

9. CMOS 5.57 states, “In a series listing three or more items, the elements are separated by a comma.” For example: The dog, cat, hippo, and cow jumped over the moon.

10. When writing years, do not use an apostrophe. Example: 1960s, not 1960’s unless you want the possessive form of the word. If abbreviated: ’60s is correct; 60’s is incorrect. Notice that the apostrophe [ ’ ] is used as a placeholder for missing the numbers, and not a single close quote mark [ ‘ ] which faces the opposite direction.

11. Speaking of years, hyphens and numerals are used when you write “the 16-year-old boy.” No hyphen is needed, and the number is spelled out when you write “the boy is sixteen years old.”

12. Internet is a proper noun and the first letter should be capitalized. The debate on whether or not Web should be capitalized is still ongoing. CMOS says it should be written in proper case. It is another name for World Wide Web, which is a proper noun.

RE: Web site. When a word is used a lot, its spelling becomes commonly accepted even if it is incorrect. The most common spelling and use of this word is website. However, according to CMOS, it is two words: Web site. As long as you are consistent throughout your book or document, I doubt most people will question either spelling.

13. The em dash [—] is defined as one em (letter “m”) in width. The double hyphen will convert to an em dash—if you type two dashes (hyphens) -- and do not put a space before or after. Or, you may create an em dash in Windows-based programs by pressing and holding Caps Lock and Alt while typing 0151 on your number key pad. Similar to a parenthetical phrase (like this), the em dash sets apart clauses in a sentence.

14. The en dash [–] is one en (letter “n”) in width: half the width of an em dash. The en dash is used to indicate a closed range, or a connection between two things of almost any kind: numbers, people, places, etc. For example: June–July 2008. Create an en dash in Windows-based programs by pressing and holding Caps Lock and Alt while typing 0150 on your number key pad. There should be no space before or after an en dash.

15. When writing dialogue, all punctuation goes inside the quotation marks. When a word or phrase is used to set apart text in scare quotes, the first example below is correct; the second is incorrect:

Every day we hear that the price of gas has hit an “all time high.”
Every day we hear that the price of gas has hit an “all time high”.

16. Numbers less than ten should always be spelled out. Some style guides will disagree about higher numbers. Chicago advocates that all numbers under 101 should be spelled out.
If in question, always consult a style guide. Be consistent and use the same style guide throughout the document or manuscript. Correcting these common errors will make your manuscript much easier and enjoyable to read.

If you need assistance with preparing your book manuscript, the editors on our team would be happy to help you. Our rates are more affordable than you might expect. See writersinthesky.com for more information.

The Two Stories an Author Tells

By Barbara Milbourn

My Natalie Goldberg small writing group chose “between the lines” as one of our prompts for next Saturday’s call. It got me thinking. Don’t some types of writing have you reading two stories at the same time? There’s the story the author thinks they are telling, and there’s the story the reader reads between the lines about the author.

This is especially true and often distracting in biography and memoir when the reader is told by the author what to feel and believe. Readers are smart; they form opinions without being told.

The first time I experienced this was several years ago in Austin. My friend Lesley and I were die-hard Martha Stewart fans. Then, as probably still now, one either loved Martha or they couldn’t stand her. We both loved her and from our respective homes on Sunday morning we would watch her show and call each other during commercials.

In 1997, a male author wrote an unauthorized biography of Martha Stewart. Being a Martha devotee, I looked forward to learning more about her. Somewhere in the first few pages I stopped reading with a single, focused eye. I was dislodged, jolted out of story, disbelieving what I was being told. Thinking that I would settle in, I continued but with reluctance. I did not want to turn the page. Every paragraph seemed laced with malice and ugly innuendos. I was force-feeding myself sentences that could only result in the development of unkind conclusions about my dear diva if I chose to believe them. I’m no Pollyanna; I can take dirt, but something was wrong.

As much as I began to question the truth of what was being written, I wondered what on earth was wrong with this author. Had he gotten up on the wrong side of the bed day after day until the book was finished? Did he have some personal score to settle? Did he know the real Martha and was he hell-bent on showing the world her warts? I didn’t know, but I didn’t care. I’d stopped seeing Martha and started seeing how much I didn’t like this guy; I didn’t trust him, didn’t believe him, and didn’t want to choke down another angry, mean-spirited word.

The same can be said when writers want their readers to sympathize with them. Disdain and empathy are viable emotions readers are eager to feel if approached without thoughts of being herded. Tell the reader a story as straight and true from the heart, experience, or imagination as possible. Then get out of the way so they stay where you want them—in story. If you do, a door will open and the reader will walk in and pass the Kleenex.

Let that space between the lines speak to the reader in such a way that they say back to you, “Oh! We didn’t notice you, but be assured we are on the train with you, fastened to your hip, all the way to the end.”

Authors Use Books as a Career Opportunity

Business entrepreneurs find the business aspect of being an author just as important as writing the book. Four authors/businesspersons share their road to writing, business, and book marketing success on September’s Writers in the Sky (WITS) Podcast.

Being an author these days is as much about being a businessperson as it is about writing a bestseller. With so many authors taking the publish-on-demand (POD) route to bring their books to market, authors have the responsibility for promoting their own work. The publicity a book requires to be successful could become a career in itself.

Gone are the days when an unknown author can expect to be picked up by a conventional publishing house and get a free ride with upfront advances. In fact, authors are paying thousands of dollars to have their books published on demand. Authors must be able to convince a publisher that they can sell their books. And, publishers are not usually willing to invest a lot of time and money on a book that has meager potential.

Podcast host Barbara Milbourn is an editor on the WITS team who works with authors to prepare their books for publishing. “If a book is not well-written or has grammatical and mechanical errors, it will struggle to find success on the market, says Milbourn. “If it happens to be a super book and the author gets it out there, it may endure mixed reviews like this: ‘I love this book. Had it not been so jammed with great info, I would have been more turned off by the typos and somewhat disjointed nature of the read.’ This is an actual review posted on Amazon for the first edition of a book that was not carefully edited and proofread. I’m happy to say the author and I are working together on his second edition. It is important for a book be edited and proofread before the querying process begins.”

And once a book hits the market, the author’s work is not over. Books must compete for sales in a shaky economy. They need to be of top-notch literary quality in order to turn enough profit to make the publishing process worthwhile. “Writing a book and bringing it to market is the beginning of the author’s job. Promoting a book can easily become a full-time business in itself,” says Yvonne Perry, podcast host and owner of Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services. “If an author understands the book publishing industry and how to market a book online, he or she has a better chance of becoming a successful author.” Perry is the author of five books including an eBook titled Book Marketing in a Digital Age Online Promotion Made Easy that she plans to release in October.

September 5
Tamera Lawrence, author of The Pond is interviewed by podcast host, Barbara Milbourn. The Pond is a twisty little mystery/thriller partially based on a true event as told to the author by her mother. Twenty-five years have passed since eight-year-old Carl Weber drowned in Gray’s Pond and now his best friend has returned to the area with his wife and daughter to reside at his parent’s estate.

Strange things begin to happen. Tension builds with each odd occurrence, and the reader gets closer to the edge of their seat as the mystery unfurls. As a young girl Tamera loved to read and aspired to become a writer. Somewhere between raising six children and helping her husband run his business, she accomplished her first work and is on to the second. In the interview Barbara and Tamera will discuss the book’s content as well as how Tamera became a businesswoman as a result of her book and the writing process.

September 12
Barbara Milbourn served as copy editor and proofreader for Linda Ballou’s book Wai-nani: High Chiefess of Hawai’i. Barbara and Linda will discuss the writing process of the book, its content, and briefly how an author works with an editor. Wai-nani is an historical novel couched in magical realism set in pre-contact Hawai’i. Wai-nani’s character is inspired by the favorite wife of Kamehameha the Great, who was responsible for ending the 2,000-year-old Polynesian kapu system. Linda Ballou is an author and businesswoman who did it right. Careful and diligent at every turn, she began by living there—experiencing it first-hand—and went on to years of careful and voluminous research of the period and place, people and language, plants and land and sea. Then she willed her poetic travel writing talent to pull it together and bring it back to life. In her thinking place, she sat with it and when she was ready to bring it out of her drawer she went on the hunt for the right editor, the right publisher, the right illustrator. That team in place, and the work nearly complete, and knowing the job wasn’t done yet, the ultimate businesswoman went to work on marketing. The book was released in June, and the business of it goes on.

September 19
Yvonne Perry’s interview with Lillian Brummet on the business aspect of freelance writing. Lillian is a radio talk show host, environmentalist, successful author, and businesswoman. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/ConsciousDiscussions. Yvonne is an author, experienced freelance writer and editor, who operates a writing and editing business, publishes a newsletter, manages a blog, and provides a podcast for authors.

September 26
Sarah Moore will interview Dennis Snow about his book, Lessons from the Mouse. Dennis is a writer, consultant, and public speaker who uses his twenty years of experience with the Walt Disney World Company to share how organizations can create “walk through fire” customer loyalty. Using Disney as the premier example of service excellence, each chapter develops a specific lesson with relevant examples from diverse industries and discussion questions to generate strategies for creating outstanding customer service.

Can a book be a cornerstone for a business? Can a business be promoted by launching a book? Yes, and yes. If a quality book on a hot topic is marketed well, it can create a business opportunity for its author. A businessperson such as Dennis Snow, who has already carved his niche as a speaker and consultant, can use his book to extend the reach toward his target market.

Sarah Moore is the author’s assistant and podcast coordinator on the WITS team. She helps authors with the development of marketing text for books, which she has often edited or proofread. Sarah worked with Dennis to create a media kit to help him garner more speaking engagements Learn more about the business and craft of writing through the Writers in the Sky Podcast at www.writersinthesky.com

Tamera Lawrence Discusses Writing Process for Book

Barbara Milbourn interviews author Tamera Lawrence about the writing process she used for her new book. Tamera also share how the book has become a business.

Click here to listen to the interview...

First-time author and mystery/thriller aficionado Tamera Lawrence has taken a true story told to her by her mother and put her own spin on it.

A boy drowns in a pond near his home in rural Pennsylvania—an innocent, nearly friendless boy. Twenty five years later the first chapter begins across the road when the drowned boy’s only friend, Mike Adams, returns to the area with his wife and seven-year-old daughter to live in the house he grew up in.

It’s a grand old estate. His mother died there and left it to him, her only child. His wife has put her own personal stamp on it which meets with everyone’s approval—or maybe not. Things turn creepy swiftly when objects fall, break, move, or splatter for no apparent reason. It might just be overactive imaginations triggered by the silence or the emptiness of the countryside. Incidents come and go and the pleasant family dynamics unfurl between this small-town dentist husband and his loving, helpful wife and daughter as they try to get comfortable with rural life and their neighbors.

The neighbors across the way are friendly, particularly Fanny, who Mike has known from boyhood and who is the area’s premiere pie-baker. Everyone knows Fanny and her husband for her pies and hard work and for their outreach as foster parents during the time Mike was a boy. One of his old friends, and now dental patient, was one of the children they fostered.

As in any good story, the plot starts twisting. Things pop up in attics, and bedrooms, and barns. People aren’t always as they appear to be. A clue is uncovered here, a voice may heard there, and the chills begin to roll. You turn the lights up brighter if you’re home alone and reading in the dark.

Tamera Lawrence has spun a prickly and entertaining tale. She’s pulled the reader in to her native state and introduced them to a sparse, but diverse cast of characters and events that evokes a sense of dread and hoped-for resolve. The Pond is a good first effort. Enjoy.

Reviewed by Barbara Milbourn, a writer and editor in Nashville, TN

ISBN 978-1-4327-2474-0
Purchase The Pond at http://outskirtspress.com/ThePond.

September Newsletter on Writing Available

The September issue of Writers in the Sky Newsletter has been released. Access this free e-zine about writing, publishing, and book marketing on the WITS Web site: www.writersinthesky.com.


Those who subscribe to Writers in the Sky Newsletter are entitled to receive a complimentary eBook, Tips for Freelance Writing. This book has some great "how-to" information for those who are trying to get a freelance writing career off the ground!




SUBSCRIBE TO WRITERS IN THE SKY NEWSLETTER

Find a Job You Love, and You'll Never Work Another Day in Your Life!

By Taryn Simpson

No truer words were ever spoken. And, I can verify that I haven’t “worked” in several years since I became a freelance writer. I can say that I truly love my job. I meet interesting and friendly people all over the world. And, I do mean all over the world! I co-authored a book titled The Mango Tree Cafe, Loi Kroh Road with a client in Beijing, China!

Things in the freelance world tend to ebb and flow—it’s just part of it. Not too long ago, I was up to my eyeballs in projects and loving every minute of it. Lately, I have been producing all types of work and I enjoy the variety that the writing provides.

What have I been working on?

* Memoirs
* Fictional thrillers
* Newsletters
* Attending meetings and taking notes
* Creating trailers
* Writing for Ideas, Goals & Dreams, and Parkinson's Hope Digest magazines

What type of communication is gaining popularity with individuals and businesses?
Newsletters! Most people assume that a newsletter is simply a communication that is mailed out at the end of the year to catch friends and family up on the latest from home. Not so! While using the newsletter for keeping in touch with family and friends, it also serves as a useful business tool.

Do you provide a service or product? The newsletter is the perfect vehicle to touch base with your customers on upcoming sales, events, etc.

Do you work for Corporate America? Again, a newsletter is the perfect mode for keeping your employees abreast of the latest company news, benefit options, discounts and other company or wellness events.

Do you hate attending meetings? Never fear! I have been attending meetings for a busy executive and writing detailed notes for him. I'm here to make your job easier, whether it's writing a book, newsletter, or policy manuals!


Books. I have been thoroughly enjoying writing books lately. My clients are the most interesting people I have ever met! Some have a longing to write the great American novel while others want to have a book written simply for the fun of it. In any event, I can help you with your project!

Self-Publishing? I can help you see your book in print! I use Lulu.com to self-publish books. This means an ISBN is assigned and once your book is uploaded to their system, anytime someone orders your book, Lulu prints on demand and ships to your customer. Your book also is listed with Barnes & Noble and other online book retailers. They have a royalty tracking system and they are user friendly! I can also help you copyright your work. Ask me more about this service. Whatever your needs may include, I am here to help. Taryn@yvonneperry.net